Championing Student-Focused Policies

New evidence shows that access to postsecondary education alone is not enough — targeted coaching and just-in-time financial support help more students persist and complete postsecondary credentials. Over the past five years, Tennessee has paired tuition-free access through Tennessee Promise with proactive completion coaching and completion grants for students with the greatest financial need. This report brings together evidence from the tnAchieves COMPLETE program and Knox Promise pilot, showing that this combined approach strengthens persistence and improves outcomes for students across the state.

Tennessee’s outcomes-based funding formula rewards colleges and universities based on student outcomes. The high-need premium, a newer component of the formula, is designed to incentivize institutions to prepare graduates for careers that meet the state’s economic needs. However, the premium’s current definition relies on broad program categories and does not consistently reward credentials that lead to high-wage, in-demand careers. This memo outlines our recommendation to replace the existing high-need premium with a tiered impact credential bonus grounded in actual labor-market outcomes. 

As part of our ongoing efforts to advance Tennessee’s foundational education policies, SCORE made a presentation on Feb. 3, 2026, to the Tennessee House Education Committee about the importance of our assessments systems. SCORE Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Aleah Guthrie and SCORE Director of Government Relations Jocelyn Pratt shared an overview of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) and how each contributes to Tennessee’s long-term improvement strategy. They also highlighted student progress on both measures and offered recommendations to improve assessment systems and reporting timeliness. Watch the presentation below and read our Future of Assessment memo for more about the importance of assessment and strengthening it.

Tennessee has never waited for change — we have led with purpose and vision. 

The 2026 State of Education report outlines the bold policies and actions that will move Tennessee’s shared vision for student success forward. Rooted in data and building on a strong student-centered foundation, it offers a roadmap for advancing outcomes from kindergarten to career.